Marine Accused of Desertion in Custody in North Carolina

A Marine accused of deserting twice, once in Iraq and once on leave in Salt Lake City, was in custody Monday at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun turned himself in to military investigators in Bahrain over the weekend.

A prosecuting attorney has been appointed to determine whether criminal charges should be filed. The Marines have four months to decide whether to file charges, issue administrative punishment or drop the case. Hassoun is accused of disappearing from his base in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004 and fleeing to Canada in 2005.